I Know I am Awake, but I Feel as if I am Dreaming
by whenulookatme
Summary: CASPIAN/OC - Veronique Stanford is a snobby, temperamental young lady. What happens when she stumbles into Narnia and is told that she must go on a quest - a quest she was apparently born to complete?
1. The One with the Wardrobe and the Badger

**I Know I am Awake, but I Feel as if I am Dreaming.**

_Veronique Rosalie Stanford_ ... Leighton Messter

_The One with the Wardrobe and the Badger -_

Veronique comes upon a not-so-ordinary Wardrobe as she hides from her friends, which causes her to stumble into Magical land

that the not-supposed-to-be-talking Badger calls Narnia.

* * *

Two seventeen year-old girls were lazing about in the lounge. It was a sweltering, hot summers' day and both girls were scarcely conversing as they sipped on chilly iced-tea.

"When is Ms. Stanford to arrive back?" questioned one half of the duo as she cooled herself down with an elaborate folding fan.

"Oh you know my Mother, she always rushes things," answered the girl nonchalantly as she stretched her legs out along the Chaise Longue she was rested on. "I have no doubt she shall be home by morning."

Veronique Stanford knew her domineering and impatient Mother all too well. She was certain that her Mothers' business trip will be over long before it was expected to come to a close - Her Mother would make sure of that. Ms. Stanford liked things done as rapidly as possible.

"Good. My Grandmother has been _nagging_ me to ask your Mother for a crochet pattern," stated Veronique's best friend with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "Anyhow, do come to the lake. Bobby will be there."

Veronique arched a perfectly- shaped eyebrow in response to her friends suggestive eyebrow wiggle. "Elizabeth, you know perfectly well that _I _do not have any romantic feelings for Bobby Brooks."

"Yes, but _his _feelings are an entirely different story. Besides; you have too come."

"And why would that be?" asked Veronique carelessly as she relaxed and closed her eye lids.

"Because I –"

Elizabeth's answer was cut off as a sharp knock carried up the stairs from the front door. Veronique put two-and-two together and rose quickly from her sluggish position.

"You invited him to _my _house?" questioned Veronique as she narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth.

"Well it is not like he is staying," she retorted defensively. "I just asked him to escort us to the lake."

"Go get the door than," said Veronique simply.

Elizabeth was slightly taken-aback by her friends abrupt mood change. She shrugged it off though. "My, my, my … someone is submissive today."

Elizabeth stood up and strutted across the room. Veronique didn't even blink until her best friend shut the door. Then she was up and listening. She listened intently until she decided that Elizabeth had fully descended the stairs. Veronique exited the room and ran as up another staircase as swiftly and as quietly as her heels would allow. She turned a corner and opened the closest door. Upon entry she discovered that she had entered a spare room. Veronique knew this fact because it was full of furniture and her Mother stored various pieces of furniture in the numerous spare rooms present in her large, mansion.

"VERONIQUE!"

Veronique heard her friends voice call and looked around the room hurriedly. There was so many hiding places; so many cabinets.

"I don't know where she could have gone," Elizabeth stated from just outside the door.

Veronique – hearing her friend so close – finally decided on an Antique Wardrobe. She swung open a door and stepped inside. As she the door swung shut on her, she was plunged into darkness.

Not being able to see anything seemed to heighten Veronique's other senses and she could hear Elizabeth clearly as she entered the spare room. Veronique backed up further into the wardrobe. Backing up, backing up … she started to wonder just how large this wardrobe was. She turned around to check and the sight that met her eyes was surprising, so surprising that she blacked out on the spot.

Forty minutes later and the first thing Veronique saw as she roused almost caused her faint yet again.

A Badger was _humming _as it _swept. _

Veronique was not sure if she was fully conscious just yet: a Badger couldn't hum a tune, let alone sweep a floor.

"Ah! You're awake."

_Indeed, I am sleeping_; Veronique declared to inwardly. She closed her eyes harshly and waited still as a statue for a full minute. She then slowly reopened her eyes and shrieked: the Badger was now mere inches from her face.

The creature chuckled and stepped back, "Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you."

"Why are you talking?" asked Veronique hysterically.

"Well; I rather enjoy talking," replied the Badger good-naturedly. "Why are you talking?"

"Because I am Human. You on the other hand, are not. So you shouldn't be speaking."

The Badger shook his head and chuckled again, "Human or not does not make much difference here when it comes to talking."

"And where exactly is '_here_'?"

"Narnia of course."

Veronique sat still and contemplated for a few moments – going over explanations in her head. Suddenly she was up and yelling, "I have been drugged!" She began to pace as she continued to talk quickly. "That is it. I have been drugged and this is some type of hallucination or dream. Well, Mr. Badger; seeing as this is _my _mind, _I _shall do as I please and I would like to leave. So if you don't mind." Veronique marched over to what appeared to be the front door.

When outside she found herself surrounded by trees and shrubbery. She turned on her heel and started heading to the left. She stumbled on rocks and roots as she went. Her outfit was most definitely not designed for such landscape.

"MISS!" she heard the Badger call out from somewhere behind her. "I MUST INSIST YOU RETURN!"

Veronique ignored his words and blocked out his calls. In doing this, she blocked out his next sentence; "It is not safe."


	2. The One with the Attack and the Rider

**The One with the Attack and the Rider -**

Veronique is being stalked by a monster creature, but she is rescued in the nick of time by a mysterious Horse Rider.

* * *

Night had fallen by now and Veronique Stanford was close too tears. She had been wandering around for hours upon hours and everything looked the same. All she could see was nature. Just nature.

However, unnoticeably to Veronique, something had changed. It was suddenly silent – eerily so. She did not notice anything until a twig snapped from behind her and cracked like a whip through the air.

"Hello? Anybody out there?" she called as she flicked around.

Veronique did a slow 360 degree turn, taking in her surroundings as she did so. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around herself and started to walk again. She could feel watchful eyes on her, but she continued walking. She wanted nothing more than to just get out of the dense forest.

Instantaneously Veronique halted in her tracks. As much as she desired too ignore it, she could not ignore that sound: a deep growl.

She turned around slowly and carefully – fearing what she may see. Her fears were confirmed as a pair of glowing eyes came into view. Whatever owned the pair of eyes closed in and Veronique muffled a scream as a large wolf loomed into view.

Veronique was so frightened she couldn't even blink. She could feel the ground shudder as the paws of the monstrous wolf thudded made contact with the ground. It was travelling at stupendous speed as it ran at her. She wouldn't even have time to _try _and escape. Retiring all hope; she just closed her eyes. The last thing she saw was the snarling wolf as it plunged at her. The next thing she felt though was not pain. No, she felt … weightless.

"Are you all right?" asked someone urgently.

Daring to open her eyes, Veronique saw that she was saved. There was no wolf in sight and she was now seated high on a horse. Nevertheless; she ignored the rider and squeezed her eyes shut again and did not re-open them until she felt the horse slow down.

"You can open your eyes now."

Veronique did just that and felt immediately uncomfortable as she realised that she was straddling the Horse rider. In her haste to compose herself; Veronique tumbles sideways off of the horse and a pair of strong arms caught her.

Another young man came into view. This one contrasted immensely with the previous man. Where the Horse rider had dark hair and eyes, this one had blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. He was also considerably paler than the other.

"You scared the poor girl," the new man jested.

The darker man jumped expertly off of his brown horse and replied, "I did not. She is just shaken from her encounter with a wolf."

"I am not at all shaken!" retorted Veronique indignantly. Her eyes betrayed her pride as they welled up with tears. Her next sentence was muffled as she sobbed and cried into the Blonde's shoulder, "All right, so I am shaken. You try being lost in some weird place with talking fluff balls and fluff balls that attempt to devour you!" Veronique continued to cry as someone patted her awkwardly on the shoulder.

"Honestly," said a female voice sardonically, "It is not possible to leave you two alone with a girl." This time Veronique felt a warm and comforting hand on her shoulder and she allowed herself to be led away by the owner. "How are you feeling?"

"Just _perfect_," sniffed Veronique. "Where am I?"

"Well Narnia, of course."

The young woman jumped as Veronique stopped walking and fiercely stamped her foot in frustration, "What on Earth is wrong with you people? Narnia? _Narnia_? What the bleeding heck is Narnia?"


End file.
